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To Mr. William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America; To Mr. Albert Gore, vice-president of the United States of America; To Mr.Thomas Foli, Speaker of the congress of the United States of America. September 2, 1993

Dear Sirs,

I address to you in connection with the known freedom support act, adopted by the USA Congress in December 1992. According to this act, the former republics of the Soviet Union are rendered assistance and this act forbids rendering the similar assistance to the Azerbaijani Republic.

Azerbaijan people, and also everyone who knows the truth about the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, have apprehended it as the greatest injustice or intolerable misunderstanding. As far as I know, this discrimination measure relating to Azerbaijan, was intended by the so-called "blockade" of Armenia on behalf of Azerbaijan which is a fruit of a well organized propaganda campaign on the part of Armenia in the western mass media and it has no connection to the reality.

Firstly, the Republic of Armenia has borders with other states (Turkey, Iran, Georgia) which Azerbaijan is not capable to block. Secondly, the question is about transport communications between Azerbaijan and Armenia which was destroyed as a result of war by Armenia against Azerbaijan, conducting already more than five years. Not only Armenians, but also the Azerbaijanis living in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic severely suffer from it. We are ready to do all on our part for restoration of these communications. However, the cease-fire and the beginning of peace talks are necessary for this purpose.

Azerbaijan repeatedly asserted its adherence to peace settlement of the conflict, and to the Minsk process of CSCE. However, every time when successes were achieved within the framework of the Minsk group of CSCE, they were torpedoed by aggressive behaviors of Armenia.

Aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, occupation of extensive Azerbaijan territories has found its approval in the known resolutions of Security Council of the United Nations 822 and 853, which have remained as unfulfilled. Moreover, Armenia, defying the international community, neglecting the Charter of the United Nations the Helsinki final act, and the CSCE, continues the aggression which has already turned into the real genocide against Azerbaijani people. 20 percent of territory of Azerbaijan has been occupied, the number of refugees in their own land has reached one million person and continues to grow.

Azerbaijan people experiences a heavy stage of its modern history. Despite all difficulties, we are determined of desire to create an independent democratic state, to carry out a transition to market economy, to get rid of totalitarian and the communist past for ever. In this question, close co-operation with your great country and your help is necessary for us. In connection with stated issues, I ask you to do all to reconsider the freedom support act and to cancel discrimination item in relation to Azerbaijan. It would also correspond to your policy in relation to the countries of the former USSR and would meet the principles of justice and democracy.

At the moment when I am addressing to you with this letter, the Armenian armed forces are continuing their attacks to capture new regions of Azerbaijan - Jabrayil and Gubadli, all new settlements are grasped, burnt down and exposed to barbarous plunder.

In the name of ideals of democracy and freedom, respect of human rights and its main right to live, I ask you to do all possible for the termination of bloodshed and protection of the innocent Azerbaijan people who are defenseless before the barbarous aggression.

Heydar Aliyev,

Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Executing Authorities of the President of Azerbaijan